Dialogue - deliberation, diplomacy, negotiation

The Dialogues Working Group is led by John Dore & Kate Lazarus. Email: johndore@loxinfo.co.th, katelazarus2008@gmail.com Purpose and Approach This group is exploring the potential of alternative approaches for engaging in water-related deliberative dialogues, diplomacy, negotiation and decisionmaking in the Mekong Region. More specifically, it is examining the limitations of State-dominant processes and inquiring into the potentials of greater civil-society involvement. This theme is also an endeavour to find better structures in fostering regional and global cooperation, and in the promotion of human security and water-related conflict resolution, at all levels from the local to the regional. It is our view that much of the existing dialogue about water in the region is removed from the public eye.

The Dialogues work is critically reflecting on whether and how multi-stakeholder platforms can bring water policy and policy-making more into the public sphere. To accomplish this, members of our network are actively engaging in water forums: workshops, meetings, public hearings and negotiations revolving around a set of interconnected water resource management and policy issues. Our analysis will pay careful attention to a wide variety of participants – as well as, importantly, relevant non-participants – including their discourses, relations and the processes through which their interactions unfold

Our proposition is that effective platforms – those which bring about resolution without violent conflict or infringement of human rights – are characterised by provision of opportunities for relatively open and fair deliberations.  Effective platforms enable constructive actors to search for solutions and value-creation, but also cater for the need to negotiate provisional tradeoffs and compromises, in recognition that full consensus will rarely be attainable because of differences in the interests and strategic positioning of stakeholders.

We are making good progress operating at different scales, putting our ideas into action.

In 2006 we commenced the Mekong Region Waters Dialogue (Vientiane July 2006) and a North-South Economic Corridors (NSEC) Dialogue (Chiang Mai October 2006).  We also facilitated deliberative sessions about Mekong issues in Mexico at the 4th World Water Forum (March 2006) and at the International Water Association's World Water Congress held in Beijing (September 2006).  The focus for 2007 has been on national water dialogues in Laos (national issues), Cambodia (focus on irrigation) and Thailand ( Songkhram Basin) examining development options.

Moving forward at the regional scale, key area of interest include water financing, bilateral agreements, regional agreements (such as those made in various parts of the Greater Mekong Subregion initiative facilitated by Asian Development Bank), transnational codes of conduct, and ensuring a regional space for civil society to participate in deliberations about water-related public policy choices.

Dialogue questions

1. From what contexts does water-related 'Dialogue' emerge, and how are dialogues on water being carried out?
   
2. How can Dialogues be made more effective?
   
3. What is the relationship between Dialogues, negotiation and decision-making? 

Selected Briefings

Public Documents